wordsSHIFTminds
@wordsshiftminds.bsky.social
wordsSHIFTminds is Auckland, New Zealand-based composer and musician Chris Bell. No guru, no method, no teacher. Music is the best.
https://www.instagram.com/wordsshiftminds/
https://soundcloud.com/wordsshiftminds
https://wordsshiftminds.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/wordsshiftminds/
https://soundcloud.com/wordsshiftminds
https://wordsshiftminds.bandcamp.com
"Load up on guns, bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over-bored, and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word."
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over-bored, and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word."
November 23, 2025 at 4:35 AM
"Load up on guns, bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over-bored, and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word."
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over-bored, and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word."
🧵
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
November 22, 2025 at 8:44 PM
🧵
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
New cover art for the next wordsSHIFTminds album, 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete'. #music #instrumental #synthwave #downtempo #synths
November 19, 2025 at 12:00 AM
New cover art for the next wordsSHIFTminds album, 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete'. #music #instrumental #synthwave #downtempo #synths
This morning has mainly been about this so far: Recording a piece for the next wordsSHIFTminds album, featuring Uillean pipes, muted trumpet and bodhran, entitled 'The Cemetery Of The Asymmetrical Heart'. Time for a coffee now.
November 16, 2025 at 10:35 PM
This morning has mainly been about this so far: Recording a piece for the next wordsSHIFTminds album, featuring Uillean pipes, muted trumpet and bodhran, entitled 'The Cemetery Of The Asymmetrical Heart'. Time for a coffee now.
Fellow music-makers: I've been using a lot of muted trumpet in the sound palette for my latest project, and this is what I chose: the Harmon Muted Trumpet by Waves Factory. You need the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt to run it and it comes with staccato, legato and sustain keystrokes.
November 14, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Fellow music-makers: I've been using a lot of muted trumpet in the sound palette for my latest project, and this is what I chose: the Harmon Muted Trumpet by Waves Factory. You need the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt to run it and it comes with staccato, legato and sustain keystrokes.
This turns two years old today. Meanwhile, women, children and non-combatants are still dying in Gaza and the ceasefire is just a figment of the Israeli government's murderous imagination.
November 14, 2025 at 3:00 AM
This turns two years old today. Meanwhile, women, children and non-combatants are still dying in Gaza and the ceasefire is just a figment of the Israeli government's murderous imagination.
At the risk of boring you (there are a lot of wordsSHIFTminds releases), the 'Pinch' (EP) turns 4 today.
November 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
At the risk of boring you (there are a lot of wordsSHIFTminds releases), the 'Pinch' (EP) turns 4 today.
The final index card is one that begins with the words 'efface, expunge, erase, delete', along with a few other synonyms, and that's what gave me my title.
November 10, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The final index card is one that begins with the words 'efface, expunge, erase, delete', along with a few other synonyms, and that's what gave me my title.
In the hardback edition, designed by Chip Kidd, the index cards are reproduced. I would argue that this was a largely pointless conceit. If you take the cards out and rearrange them, you destroy what is an otherwise beautifully designed book.
November 10, 2025 at 10:43 PM
In the hardback edition, designed by Chip Kidd, the index cards are reproduced. I would argue that this was a largely pointless conceit. If you take the cards out and rearrange them, you destroy what is an otherwise beautifully designed book.
But 'The Original of Laura' is not a work of genius, even if it contains traces of it. This is, of course, partly because it's incomplete. The incomplete manuscript consists of Nabokov's own handwriting across 138 index cards, the equivalent of about 30 manuscript pages.
November 10, 2025 at 10:40 PM
But 'The Original of Laura' is not a work of genius, even if it contains traces of it. This is, of course, partly because it's incomplete. The incomplete manuscript consists of Nabokov's own handwriting across 138 index cards, the equivalent of about 30 manuscript pages.
Max Brod famously and pragmatically went against Franz Kafka's wishes, and if he hadn't, the world would have missed out on numerous works of genius ('Metamorphosis', 'America', 'The Trial', etc.).
November 10, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Max Brod famously and pragmatically went against Franz Kafka's wishes, and if he hadn't, the world would have missed out on numerous works of genius ('Metamorphosis', 'America', 'The Trial', etc.).
When Nabokov was working on the index cards that form the unfinished book, his health was in decline and he asked his wife and son - who became his literary executors - to destroy any of his unfinished work after his death.
November 10, 2025 at 10:37 PM
When Nabokov was working on the index cards that form the unfinished book, his health was in decline and he asked his wife and son - who became his literary executors - to destroy any of his unfinished work after his death.
But what does 'releasing' music into the world really mean? The best moments of creativity for me come when I'm not thinking, but rather following my gut instinct; Allen Ginsberg's "First thought, best thought" comes to mind.
November 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM
But what does 'releasing' music into the world really mean? The best moments of creativity for me come when I'm not thinking, but rather following my gut instinct; Allen Ginsberg's "First thought, best thought" comes to mind.
Too many choices, too much plotting, every sentence a spin of the roulette wheel. That freedom got in my way. A 3.5-minute track has a more stable formula. I also want my creative work to be out in the wild, and not only languishing on my PC's hard drive.
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Too many choices, too much plotting, every sentence a spin of the roulette wheel. That freedom got in my way. A 3.5-minute track has a more stable formula. I also want my creative work to be out in the wild, and not only languishing on my PC's hard drive.
One of the reasons I write, record and release music is the desire to leave something behind - even if this legacy is only in the ether. I find composing music a satisfying process in a way that writing words rarely was for me - particularly the novels:
November 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
One of the reasons I write, record and release music is the desire to leave something behind - even if this legacy is only in the ether. I find composing music a satisfying process in a way that writing words rarely was for me - particularly the novels:
... but the novel itself only provided me with a 'jumping off point'; a creative kick-start, if you like. I've been thinking a lot lately about the nature of creativity and its impermanence.
November 10, 2025 at 10:30 PM
... but the novel itself only provided me with a 'jumping off point'; a creative kick-start, if you like. I've been thinking a lot lately about the nature of creativity and its impermanence.
I would find it difficult if not impossible to summarise the plot here because at the time of the author's death, it was still in flux. To call my album a 'companion piece' would be pretentious - as though someone had asked for it...
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I would find it difficult if not impossible to summarise the plot here because at the time of the author's death, it was still in flux. To call my album a 'companion piece' would be pretentious - as though someone had asked for it...
🧵
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
November 10, 2025 at 10:26 PM
🧵
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
This is the next wordsSHIFTminds project. Each of the track titles on 'Efface, Expunge, Erase, Delete' comes from Vladimir Nabokov's unfinished novel 'The Original Of Laura'. But the music on the album isn't inspired by this embryonic book.
That's not a Gurner. This is a Gurner.
November 9, 2025 at 10:52 PM
That's not a Gurner. This is a Gurner.
Ah! Those were the days: When we had a Prime Minister who cared about us, @publicaddress.bsky.social spoke Danish and @brislen.nz was Estonian.
November 8, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Ah! Those were the days: When we had a Prime Minister who cared about us, @publicaddress.bsky.social spoke Danish and @brislen.nz was Estonian.
Somehow, Americans who (unless either First Nations People or the descendants of slaves) were at one time all immigrants, are confounded by the notion that immigrants were once not only tolerated but encouraged. I can't even...
November 6, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Somehow, Americans who (unless either First Nations People or the descendants of slaves) were at one time all immigrants, are confounded by the notion that immigrants were once not only tolerated but encouraged. I can't even...
LOL. Photographed my Krups German food processor (37 years old and still going strong) to try and order a spare part for it, and emailed it to myself. My phone autocorrected the subject header without my noticing to "Trump's food processor", which proves I mention him way too often.
November 6, 2025 at 3:17 AM
LOL. Photographed my Krups German food processor (37 years old and still going strong) to try and order a spare part for it, and emailed it to myself. My phone autocorrected the subject header without my noticing to "Trump's food processor", which proves I mention him way too often.
Has anyone else been watching 'Lynley' on Three Now? It's a bit twee - only a couple of scenery steps up from 'Midsomer Murders' - but it's fairly entertaining, and he does drive a Jensen Interceptor. 🚗
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Has anyone else been watching 'Lynley' on Three Now? It's a bit twee - only a couple of scenery steps up from 'Midsomer Murders' - but it's fairly entertaining, and he does drive a Jensen Interceptor. 🚗
Courier track & trace like this, that just says "In transit" without telling me when my package is likely to be delivered, is about as much use as Christopher Luxon.
OK, maybe not quite that bad.
OK, maybe not quite that bad.
November 6, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Courier track & trace like this, that just says "In transit" without telling me when my package is likely to be delivered, is about as much use as Christopher Luxon.
OK, maybe not quite that bad.
OK, maybe not quite that bad.